capacity through digital labour. According to Microsoft, nearly half of leaders (45 per cent) see this expansion as a key focus in the next 12-18 months, second only to upskilling their existing workforce (47 per cent), as they adapt to evolving demands and new ways of working. However, there are practical challenges that organisations need to overcome to become frontier firms, including getting the human/ agent ratio right. “Just as HR manages human performance and IT manages systems, organisations will need new models to allocate and manage intelligence resources,” notes the Work Trend Index. Successfully navigating this shift requires leadership to understand the interplay between people and technology, ensuring AI is integrated in ways that support and enhance the human workforce rather than creating barriers to work. “If you have a people problem, you will have an AI problem,” says Amy Webb, futurist and CEO of Future Today Strategy Group, a consulting firm specialising in technology foresight. “As multi-agent systems redefine the workplace, the challenge will be to integrate and manage them securely and effectively. Companies that already know how to enable their human workforce will succeed – breaking down silos, fostering collaboration and ensuring the entire organisation works toward common goals.” In navigating this transformation, Microsoft plays a unique role as ‘customer zero’, using its own AI technologies internally before they are widely released. This approach allows Microsoft to test solutions in real enterprise scenarios and share valuable insights with customers. Nathalie D’Hers, corporate vice president of Microsoft Digital, explains that this strategy has accelerated Microsoft’s digital transformation in ways that would have been impossible just a few years ago. “Part of our mission is to be Microsoft’s first and best customer and then share our learning with customers,” she says. “In that spirit, we’ve learned a lot about enterprise AI, especially ways to accelerate time to employee value.” Microsoft has empowered more than 4,000 of its own Copilot champions (enthusiastic early adopters who share their knowledge and help peers embrace AI in daily work). This has helped Microsoft explore the evolving role of AI not just as a tool, but as a collaborative partner. This experience allows Microsoft to help its customers in all sectors achieve their AI goals. Tax preparation provider H&R Block, for example, is using generative AI to deliver more responsive, personalised experiences to clients. “It’s transforming how we work and evolve as an organisation,” says Aditya Thadani, vice president of AI platforms at H&R Block. “Our purpose remains the same, but how we live up to that promise is the opportunity – and AI is helping us get there.” In the professional services sector, Accenture has developed an AI agent H&R Block is using generative AI to deliver more personalised tax advice to its customers Photo: Microsoft 49
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